


Fractured Lives

by ColorTeal



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Shattered Glass
Genre: Moments of Somewhat Mild Violence, Mutilation mention, Prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-11 19:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4448819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorTeal/pseuds/ColorTeal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Megatron and Whirl's first encounter, in a flipped and broken mirror.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fractured Lives

**Author's Note:**

> A friend of mine and I talked about a shattered glass MTMTE cast, and she and consequently I got very emotional and wrapped up in Megatron and Whirl in a combined IDW/SG. This kinda got away from me though ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

The Autobots had finally released Megatron. An entire week after his posted date of release, but nobody had done anything to fight against it.

Nobody survived in fights against the Autobots.

Megatron found himself suddenly pushed down the front steps of the court building by a snickering guard, and the sharp stairs forced a deep dent into his already-dirty armor.

Despite having lived under this treatment, this violence that was the core principle for the powerful government and upper-class, this final push out the door was a new shock.

While incarcerated, Autobot guards patrolled the cells. Fully armed, Megatron saw their “guarding” as foolish, posturing and showing off the power that people like him were always reminded that the government had, the power people like him didn’t have.

A different guard came into his cellblock when it was time to question, threaten, or begrudgingly give him a pitiful amount of energon. However, Megatron found one to stand out, and the simplest of actions from this one cybertronian made all the violence new, all the pain to hurt again.

“Why are you just staring at your frikken’ energon?”

“Because this is the most I’ve seen since being jailed.” Megatron said, holding the completely full glass that had been pushed between the bars, careful to not move because of his suspicion that it couldn’t possibly be real.

“Weird, ‘cause that’s a full meal, nobody should have less than this given to them.”

Megatron chuckled nervously. “The other guards think differently.” He took a cautious sip, and felt his spark swell; it was real, and he was so starved he sucked down a third of it in one go.

“I haven’t been workin’ here all that long.” The guard said. “I’m Whirl, and I got hired by my employers after they did this,” He shifted into the light, clawed hand pointing to his face, now visible to Megatron. “to me.”

“Primus,” Megatron nearly dropped his meal. “Wh-”

“Get a good look, ‘cause it’s getting popular.” Whirl said. “Some of my higher-ups wanted to get this done to you, too, but most decided that your ‘illegal preaching’ wasn’t enough of an offense.”

Megatron stared. He suddenly felt sick.

“Hey, don’t worry, maybe you’ll get lucky next time.” Whirl laughed dryly.

“Why?” Megatron said, looking up. “Why?”

“I went off the Autobot’s rigid garbage pile of a “curriculum” and was taken in as “tainting the minds of those most susceptible”, and they took my head and my hands for it.”

“Wait. You’re a teacher?”

“Was. Taught in Polyhex.”

Megatron furrowed his brow. “I was arrested at Polyhex. I lectured there many times, in mathematics and I’ve never met a teacher named Whirl.”

“Changed my name.” Whirl huffed. “Did you know a Jetstream?”

Megatron’s blue optics opened wide. “My God. I did. You were the flight instructor, all your students loved you.”

“Not all of them. One of the little scrag-lickers talked to the wrong person, someone heard something they shouldn’t. Now I’m here.”

“And… now you’re a walking advertisement of their power, and the lengths they’ll go to put us in our place.”

“Yep.” Whirl said, calm and cool. He followed this up with forcing his claws into the wall, scratching and ripping away at the metal, hunched over and fearsome. When he was done abusing his inanimate target, Whirl looked over to his shoulder to see Megatron had moved to press his back to the opposite wall, now farther from him. “Sorry if I scared you. I’m not wired properly. Autobots don’t exactly need me to be a scientist, but whatever. Whatever! I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.” Megatron replied quietly. “I wanted to ask how come you are not like other Autobots but-”

“What do you mean by “other Autobots”, huh?” Whirl stood over Megatron. Even with bars between them, the Decepticon felt far from safe again.

“You were kind enough to fuel me properly and actually talk to me.” Megatron said, forcing his voice to be firm. “But your little… sharpening exercise. You’re as capable of violence as every other Autobot.”

“Let me give you a life tip, friend to friend.” Whirl said, flexing his claws. “Everyone. Everyone! Is capable of violence.”

“Not me. I refuse.” Megatron said, now scowling.

“Buddy, I was a teacher before this happened to me!” Whirl stuck an arm through the cell door. “A teacher! They tell you teachers are important but I’m as expendable as you are!”

“No one is expendable.” Megatron spoke gruffly, dropping his glass and he grabbed Whirl’s claw. The helicopter froze, every joint locking up. “When I get out of here, come with me. I have plans, and you deserve to be on a side fighting for you.”

“No.”

Whirl slowly and gently pulled his claw out of Megatron’s dirty hand.

“You don’t have t-”

“I don’t have to do anything!” Whirl yelled, echoing through the hall. “I’m fucked up. I’ve been fucked up for a long time, even before _ **this**_.” He gestured to himself. “I’m an awful, angry person. I hate this place but for now, this is where I want to be. Nobody _mutilates me_ for beating up a prisoner or two. I’m honestly excited about the idea that my employers will let me kill someone.”

Megatron stared into Whirl’s single optic, the color burning into his vision.

“You’re not completely violent.” He said. “You haven’t hit me. You could have. Fed me more than anyone else has in a week, even gave me your name.”

“What you saw earlier? An outburst. A very, very minor outburst.” Whirl growled. “Ive done worse on weaker whims already today.” He grabbed the bars with his claws, gripping hard and fast to crush the metal in his grip. “I am angry. I’m destructive. And I don’t plan on stopping.”

“...Fine.” Megatron spoke through a tightly-clenched jaw. “But if you get tired of beating up prisoners who hadn’t committed any crimes, you come find me. Understand? You. Find. Me.”

“How do you expect me to find you? You’ll be a jobless bum when you get out.” Whirl asked, pressing his head to the bars of the door.

Megatron leaned to him. “Look around poor districts,” He whispered. “I’ll be putting plans into motion. I’m certain you’ll be able to find me.”

Whirl stared, optic flickering away from Megatron’s gaze, staring at the damage he’d caused to the door. “Why do this? How do you know I’m not some… not some frikken’ liability?”

“Something else I refuse: Giving up on anyone.”

 


End file.
